TV Review – ‘Yellowstone’ Prequel ‘1883’
Sunday, December 19, 2021 at 3:00PM 
Paramount Network, formerly known as TNN and Spike TV, has found its flagship series in Yellowstone, the Montana-set drama starring Kevin Costner currently airing its fourth season. It’s no surprise that the show’s immense popularity would create the desire for a spinoff, and instead, sister streaming service Paramount+ has opted for a prequel. Set more than a century before the original, 1883 is a pretty straightforward Western tracking the establishment of the Yellowstone Ranch that serves as the center property of the franchise…
These two shows come from Taylor Sheridan, writer of the underrated Hell or High Water and also director of Wind River and Those Who Wish Me Dead. After I sampled the pilot, I didn’t stick with Yellowstone, even though I did enjoy Longmire, which had a similar vibe, and I continue watching the Montana-set Big Sky for unknown reasons since it’s really not good at all. Objectively, 1883 probably appeals more since it has to do with the trek west during lawless times and the official establishment of an American presence in a rural region already populated by indigenous people...
1883 is a relatively dark, gritty drama that opens in Texas and quickly sees its characters hit the road. Sam Elliott stars as Shea Brennan, a cowboy taking a group of poorly-equipped families to chart new territory. Tim McGraw and Faith Hill are James and Margaret Dutton, grandparents of Costner’s character, who, with their family, join the group heading west through treacherous terrain. It’s fun to see the two married country stars play these roles, and Isabel May is a standout as their rebellious and ambitious daughter Elsa. Elliott, who I’ll always remember for his signature voice and style from Parks & Recreation and The Hero, isn’t portraying someone tender but instead a hardened leader with little tolerance for nonsense.
This is the kind of series that invites immersion, crafting a large-scale narrative that can either complement the existing universe on the original series or be fully existent in its own right. There is a great deal of time that needs to pass between 1883 and the present, so it’s very possible that this one could go on for many years. Fans of westerns should appreciate the commitment to scenery and slow-burn storytelling. While there is considerable violence to be found, especially in the Texas these characters are leaving behind, this show seems more set on crafting consistent and compelling characters than featuring gratuitous shootouts.
The first two episodes of 1883 premiere today on Paramount+, with new episodes dropping weekly on Sundays.
Kevin Costner, Reviews, Sam Elliott, TV, streaming, westerns
Reader Comments (3)
Can someone please tell me why the dental hygiene and 1883 is better than today you can do better it’s hard to believe in fall into the storyline deeper when you’re being blinded by perfect white smiles
Why if none of the immigrants (except for one) can’t speak English on ‘1883’, could a couple understand and speak English when they found they had Smallpox?
Awesome show...love Isabel May's work!! I have a question...if the group is traveling from Ft Worth to Oregon...then why are they crossing the Brazos?? I understand they must cross either the west fork or the Clear fork of the Trinity...and the Red River...but why the Brazos River??